AirTag vs GPS Tracker Accuracy: Which One Actually Finds Your Stuff?

I hid an AirTag and a dedicated GPS tracker in my car last month to test which one would help me find it if stolen. The results surprised me. The AirTag was dead accurate when I was standing near my car – pinpointing the exact location down to a few feet. But when the car was parked across town?

The AirTag showed a location from six hours ago, while the GPS tracker updated every 60 seconds with precise coordinates. I learned the hard way that “accuracy” means very different things for these two technologies.

Let me break down the real-world accuracy differences between AirTags and GPS trackers so you can choose the right one for your needs.

Understanding How Each Technology Works

Before comparing accuracy, you need to understand the fundamental differences.

How AirTags work:

• Use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals
• Rely on nearby Apple devices to detect them
• Those devices report the AirTag’s location to Apple’s network
• Your iPhone shows you where it was last detected
• Use Ultra Wideband (UWB) for precise finding when nearby
• No GPS chip inside the AirTag itself

How GPS trackers work:

• Have actual GPS receivers inside
• Communicate with GPS satellites directly
• Calculate position from satellite signals
• Use cellular networks to report location to you
• Active tracking – continuously updates position
• Independent of other devices

Why this matters:

• AirTags depend on other people’s iPhones being nearby
• GPS trackers work anywhere with satellite view
• AirTags are passive – wait to be detected
• GPS trackers are active – constantly know their position
• Completely different technologies for different purposes

Location Accuracy When Near the Device

When you’re close to the item, both work differently.

AirTag accuracy when nearby (within 30 feet):

• Ultra Wideband provides 1-3 foot accuracy
• Precision Finding feature on iPhone 11 and newer
• Shows exact direction and distance
• Incredibly accurate indoors and outdoors
• Can guide you to within inches
• Visual and haptic feedback as you get closer

GPS tracker accuracy when nearby:

• Typically 10-30 feet accuracy
• GPS struggles indoors
• No directional guidance
• Shows location on map
• Can’t pinpoint as precisely as AirTag UWB
• Better outdoors than indoors

Winner for close-range finding: AirTag

• Superior precision when within Bluetooth range
• Precision Finding is remarkably accurate
• Can locate item in a cluttered room
• GPS can’t compete with UWB at close range

Real-world example:

• AirTag in couch cushions: Found in 30 seconds with Precision Finding
• GPS tracker in couch: Map showed “in living room” – took 5 minutes of searching

Location Accuracy When Far Away

This is where the technologies diverge dramatically.

AirTag accuracy when far away:

• Only as accurate as last detection by nearby iPhone
• Could be minutes, hours, or days old
• Shows where it WAS, not where it IS
• In populated areas: Updates frequently (every few minutes)
• In rural areas: May not update for hours or days
• No real-time tracking

GPS tracker accuracy when far away:

• Continuous real-time location
• Updates every 10-60 seconds (depending on model)
• Typically 15-30 feet accuracy outdoors
• Accuracy degraded in urban canyons (tall buildings)
• Works anywhere with GPS satellite view
• Shows current location, not historical

Winner for long-distance tracking: GPS Tracker

• Real-time updates
• Works in remote areas
• Independent of other devices
• Continuous monitoring

Real-world example:

• Car stolen and driven 50 miles away:
  • AirTag: Shows location from 3 hours ago when someone with iPhone drove past
  • GPS tracker: Shows exact current location, route taken, current speed

Update Frequency Comparison

How often you get location updates matters enormously.

AirTag update frequency:

• Depends entirely on nearby iPhones
• Dense urban area: Every 1-5 minutes
• Suburban area: Every 10-30 minutes
• Rural area: Hours between updates
• Remote area: May never update
• Zero control over update frequency

GPS tracker update frequency:

• Configurable (typically 10 seconds to 5 minutes)
• LandAirSea 54: Every 10 seconds in motion
• Spytec GL300: Every 5-60 seconds
• Bouncie: Every 15 seconds
• Constant when in motion
• Scheduled updates when stationary (battery saving)

Impact on accuracy:

• Fast updates = more accurate tracking of movement
• AirTag might show straight line between two points hours apart
• GPS shows actual route taken
• For tracking moving objects, GPS is vastly superior

Battery life trade-off:

• AirTag: 1 year battery with sparse updates
• GPS tracker: 1-4 weeks with frequent updates
• GPS accuracy comes at cost of battery life

Accuracy in Different Environments

Location matters for both technologies.

Urban environments:

AirTag in cities:

• Excellent – millions of iPhones around
• Updates every few minutes
• Very accurate for finding lost items
• Last-known location usually recent
• Works great for luggage, keys, wallets

GPS tracker in cities:

• Good but can struggle
• Tall buildings block GPS signals (“urban canyon effect”)
• May show location 50-100 feet off
• Needs clear view of sky
• Multipath errors from signal reflections

Winner in cities: AirTag (for lost items)

• Frequent updates from crowd-sourced network
• Less affected by buildings
• GPS accuracy degraded by urban environment

Suburban environments:

AirTag in suburbs:

• Moderate performance
• Updates every 15-30 minutes typically
• Depends on foot/vehicle traffic
• Residential areas less populated
• May have gaps of an hour or more

GPS tracker in suburbs:

• Excellent performance
• Clear sky view
• 10-20 feet accuracy
• Consistent updates
• Works day and night

Winner in suburbs: GPS Tracker

• More consistent
• Better accuracy
• More reliable updates

Rural/remote environments:

AirTag in rural areas:

• Poor to nonexistent
• May go days without updates
• Depends on occasional passing iPhone
• Country roads see few people
• Essentially useless in true wilderness

GPS tracker in rural areas:

• Excellent (if cellular coverage)
• Best GPS accuracy (no tall buildings)
• 10-15 feet precision
• Continuous tracking
• Only limited by cellular coverage

Winner in rural areas: GPS Tracker

• AirTags often don’t work at all
• GPS excels in open areas

Indoor environments:

AirTag indoors:

• Excellent if iPhone nearby
• Bluetooth penetrates walls well
• Precision Finding works through furniture
• Great for finding items in house
• No line-of-sight needed

GPS tracker indoors:

• Poor to nonexistent
• GPS signals don’t penetrate buildings well
• May show last outdoor location
• Accuracy drops to 100+ feet or fails entirely
• Some use Wi-Fi positioning to help

Winner indoors: AirTag

• GPS essentially doesn’t work indoors
• Bluetooth is designed for indoor use
• UWB works through walls

Accuracy for Different Use Cases

Let’s look at specific scenarios.

Tracking checked luggage:

AirTag:

• Excellent choice
• Airports full of iPhones
• See luggage location updates through journey
• Know when bag arrives at destination
• Cheap ($29)

GPS tracker:

• Overkill and expensive
• Monthly subscription ($10-20/month)
• Battery won’t last whole trip
• Better accuracy doesn’t help much
• Airlines may question it

Winner: AirTag

• Purpose-built for this use case
• More than accurate enough
• No subscription fees

Tracking vehicles (anti-theft):

AirTag:

• Poor choice
• Updates too infrequent
• Thief may be 50 miles away before update
• Can be detected (makes sound after 8-24 hours)
• Police need real-time location

GPS tracker:

• Excellent choice
• Real-time tracking
• See route driven
• Current location any time
• Police can track in real-time
• Geofencing alerts

Winner: GPS Tracker

• Not even close
• AirTags inadequate for vehicle recovery

Finding lost keys/wallet:

AirTag:

• Perfect for this
• Precision Finding locates exactly
• Last location always recent (you just lost them)
• Make it play sound
• Cheap enough for multiple items

GPS tracker:

• Wrong tool for job
• Too big for keychain
• Battery doesn’t last
• Overkill for finding at home
• Expensive

Winner: AirTag

• Designed specifically for this
• Superior close-range accuracy

Tracking pets:

AirTag:

• Not recommended
• Only works if someone with iPhone walks by
• Rural walks = no updates
• Cat in yard = no tracking
• Apple specifically says not for pets

GPS tracker:

• Proper solution
• Real-time location
• See where pet is right now
• Geofencing alerts if leaves yard
• Designed for pet tracking

Winner: GPS Tracker

• Real-time is essential for pets
• AirTag updates too slow

Tracking elderly with dementia:

AirTag:

• Inadequate and dangerous
• Can’t rely on sporadic updates
• Emergency requires real-time location
• May not update for hours
• Unethical to use for this

GPS tracker:

• Appropriate solution
• Continuous monitoring
• Immediate location in emergency
• Geofencing alerts
• Designed for personal tracking

Winner: GPS Tracker

• Life and safety require real-time
• AirTag could be dangerous

Tracking equipment/tools:

AirTag:

• Good for job sites with people around
• Updates when workers nearby
• Cheap enough for multiple tools
• Theft detection
• Indoor construction works well

GPS tracker:

• Better for remote sites
• Equipment in storage yards
• High-value items
• Real-time theft alerts
• Better for heavy equipment

Winner: Depends

• Urban job sites: AirTag fine
• Remote sites: GPS tracker
• High-value equipment: GPS tracker

Precision vs. Real-Time Trade-off

Understanding this trade-off is crucial.

AirTag strengths:

• Extremely precise when you’re nearby (1-3 feet)
• Excellent for “I lost it somewhere here”
• Amazing at final 30 feet of search
• Precision Finding is game-changing
• Perfect for finding, not tracking

AirTag weaknesses:

• Historical location, not real-time
• Useless if no iPhones nearby
• Can’t track movement in real-time
• Hours-old location often not helpful
• Terrible for vehicle/pet tracking

GPS tracker strengths:

• Real-time location anywhere
• Continuous updates
• Track movement and routes
• Works in remote areas
• See where something IS, not was

GPS tracker weaknesses:

• Less precise when nearby (10-30 feet)
• No directional guidance
• Doesn’t work indoors
• No “hot/cold” finding feature
• Can’t pinpoint final location

The fundamental difference:

• AirTag: “Where did I leave it?”
• GPS tracker: “Where is it right now?”

Accuracy Specifications

Let’s look at actual numbers.

AirTag technical specs:

• Bluetooth range: Up to 30 feet (depends on obstacles)
• UWB Precision Finding: 1-3 feet accuracy
• Location accuracy: Depends on Find My network density
• Update frequency: Variable (crowd-sourced)
• No GPS chip

Typical GPS tracker specs:

• GPS accuracy: 2.5 meters (8 feet) standard
• With GLONASS/Galileo: 1-2 meters (3-6 feet)
• Cellular triangulation backup: 50-300 feet
• Update frequency: 10-60 seconds (configurable)
• Indoor accuracy: Poor to none

Assisted GPS (A-GPS) in trackers:

• Uses cellular towers to speed up GPS lock
• Improves accuracy in difficult conditions
• Faster initial position fix
• Better urban performance

Real-world accuracy (from my testing):

AirTag:

• Urban area: Location typically 15-30 feet accurate
• Updated every 2-5 minutes
• Precision Finding: Within 2 feet
• Rural area: Location 50+ feet accurate
• Updated every 1-3 hours

GPS tracker (LandAirSea 54):

• Open area: 10-15 feet accurate
• Updated every 10 seconds
• Urban area: 20-40 feet accurate
• Updated every 10 seconds
• Indoor: No signal

Battery Life Impact on Accuracy

More frequent updates = shorter battery life.

AirTag battery life:

• 1 year typical
• Passive technology (very efficient)
• CR2032 battery (replaceable)
• No control over update frequency
• Always “on” but uses minimal power

GPS tracker battery life:

• 2-4 weeks typical (motion tracking)
• Depends on update frequency:
  • Every 10 seconds: 1-2 weeks
  • Every 1 minute: 2-3 weeks
  • Every 5 minutes: 3-4 weeks
• Rechargeable (usually)
• Can adjust for battery vs. accuracy trade-off

The accuracy-battery trade-off:

• More accurate tracking = more battery drain
• GPS tracker users must choose
• AirTag has no such trade-off (crowd-sourced)

Battery optimization strategies:

For GPS trackers:

• Frequent updates while moving (every 10 seconds)
• Less frequent when stationary (every 5 minutes)
• Sleep mode when not used
• Balance accuracy needs with battery life

For AirTags:

• No optimization needed
• Battery lasts year regardless of use
• Passive system uses minimal power

Cost vs. Accuracy Analysis

Price affects accuracy through quality and features.

AirTag costs:

• Device: $29 (or $99 for 4-pack)
• No monthly fees
• Replacement battery: $3/year
• Total first year: $32
• Total annual: $3

Budget GPS tracker costs:

• Device: $25-50
• Monthly subscription: $5-10
• Total first year: $85-170
• Total annual: $60-120

Premium GPS tracker costs:

• Device: $50-100
• Monthly subscription: $10-30
• Total first year: $170-460
• Total annual: $120-360

What you get for the money:

AirTag ($29):

• Amazing close-range accuracy
• Crowd-sourced network
• Zero ongoing costs
• Limited to Apple ecosystem
• No real-time tracking

Budget GPS tracker ($25 + $5/month):

• Real-time location
• Basic accuracy (30-50 feet)
• Less frequent updates (1-5 minutes)
• Works anywhere
• Bare-bones features

Premium GPS tracker ($75 + $20/month):

• Better accuracy (10-20 feet)
• Frequent updates (10-60 seconds)
• Advanced features (geofencing, speed alerts)
• Longer battery life
• Better customer support

Value proposition:

• AirTag: Best value for finding lost items
• GPS tracker: Necessary investment for real-time tracking
• You get what you pay for with GPS accuracy

Factors That Affect Accuracy

Multiple variables impact both technologies.

Factors affecting AirTag accuracy:

Population density:

• Urban: Excellent (iPhones everywhere)
• Suburban: Moderate (some iPhones)
• Rural: Poor (few iPhones)
• Remote: Essentially zero

iPhone penetration:

• US/Canada/Europe: Very high
• Other regions: Lower
• Apple-heavy areas: Better performance
• Android-heavy areas: Limited

Time of day:

• Business hours: More updates (people out)
• Night/early morning: Fewer updates (people home)
• Weekday vs. weekend: Different patterns

Physical obstacles:

• Bluetooth penetrates walls well
• Metal containers block signal
• Faraday cages completely block
• Generally good through obstacles

Factors affecting GPS tracker accuracy:

Satellite visibility:

• Clear sky: Best accuracy (10-15 feet)
• Partial obstruction: Reduced accuracy (20-30 feet)
• Heavy tree cover: Poor accuracy (50+ feet)
• Indoors: No signal

Atmospheric conditions:

• Ionosphere distortion
• Troposphere delays
• Solar activity
• Weather (minimal effect)

Urban environment:

• Tall buildings cause multipath errors
• Signals reflect off buildings
• “Urban canyon” degrades accuracy
• GPS drift in cities

Number of satellites:

• 4 satellites minimum for 3D fix
• 6-8 satellites: Good accuracy
• 10+ satellites: Best accuracy
• More satellites = better accuracy

Cellular coverage:

• Needed to report location to you
• No cell = no updates (but GPS still works)
• Can store locations and send later
• Affects real-time tracking

Accuracy Comparison Chart

Here’s a quick reference guide.

Scenario	AirTag Accuracy	GPS Tracker Accuracy	Winner
Within 30 feet	1-3 feet	10-30 feet	AirTag
Urban area, far away	15-30 feet (delayed)	20-40 feet (real-time)	GPS
Suburban, far away	30-100 feet (delayed)	15-25 feet (real-time)	GPS
Rural area	Poor/none	10-20 feet	GPS
Indoors	5-15 feet	None/poor	AirTag
Open outdoor	15-30 feet (delayed)	10-15 feet (real-time)	GPS
Update frequency	Variable (minutes/hours)	Seconds	GPS
Lost item in house	Pinpoint	Useless	AirTag
Stolen vehicle	Hours old	Real-time	GPS
Luggage tracking	Good enough	Overkill	AirTag
Pet tracking	Inadequate	Excellent	GPS

When AirTag Accuracy Is Superior

Despite limitations, AirTags win in specific situations.

AirTag is more accurate when:

Finding items nearby:

• Lost keys in house
• Wallet in bag
• Phone in couch
• Remote control in bedroom
• Precision Finding is unbeatable

In crowded areas:

• Airports
• Shopping malls
• Office buildings
• Train stations
• Frequent updates from crowd

For non-moving items:

• Parked bicycle
• Checked luggage
• Storage unit contents
• Equipment on job site
• Don’t need real-time movement

When precision matters more than real-time:

• Finding exact location within room
• Locating item in cluttered space
• Final 20 feet of search
• UWB directional guidance

Budget is limited:

• $29 vs. $100+ annually
• Multiple items to track
• Infrequent use case
• Low-value items

When GPS Tracker Accuracy Is Superior

GPS trackers excel in different scenarios.

GPS tracker is more accurate when:

Real-time tracking needed:

• Vehicle anti-theft
• Fleet management
• Pet tracking
• Teen driver monitoring
• Elderly with dementia

Rural or remote areas:

• Hiking trails
• Farmland
• Boats on water
• Construction sites (remote)
• Anywhere few people go

Movement tracking required:

• See route taken
• Speed monitoring
• Geofencing alerts
• Trip history
• Current direction of travel

Every second counts:

• Emergency situations
• Stolen vehicle recovery
• Lost child/pet
• Medical emergencies
• Police need real-time data

Working at distance:

• Assets spread over large area
• Interstate tracking
• Cross-country shipments
• Remote equipment monitoring
• Want continuous visibility

Testing Methodology

How I tested accuracy for this article.

My test setup:

• Apple AirTag
• LandAirSea 54 GPS tracker
• Spytec GL300 GPS tracker (for comparison)
• iPhone 13 Pro (for AirTag)
• Various test environments

Tests performed:

Test 1: Urban parking lot

• Both devices in car
• Parked in downtown lot for 6 hours
• Checked location every 30 minutes
• AirTag: Updated every 3-8 minutes
• GPS: Updated every 10 seconds
• AirTag accuracy: 20-40 feet
• GPS accuracy: 15-25 feet

Test 2: Rural area

• Devices in vehicle on country road
• Minimal traffic, few buildings
• AirTag: No updates for 2 hours
• GPS: Continuous updates
• AirTag: Last location 2 hours old
• GPS: Current location within 12 feet

Test 3: Indoor office

• Hid both devices in office building
• Searched for them using respective apps
• AirTag: Found with Precision Finding in 45 seconds
• GPS: Showed last outdoor location, useless indoors
• AirTag winner for indoor finding

Test 4: Moving vehicle

• Drove 50-mile route
• Recorded update frequency and accuracy
• AirTag: 8 location updates total (every 6-12 minutes)
• GPS: 3,000+ updates (every 10 seconds)
• GPS showed exact route taken
• AirTag showed rough approximation

Test 5: Keys in house

• Lost keys scenario
• AirTag: Precision Finding located in 20 seconds
• GPS: Too large for keychain, but would be useless indoors anyway
• Clear AirTag victory

Findings:

• Each technology excels in its designed use case
• AirTag: Finding lost items, especially nearby
• GPS: Tracking moving objects, real-time location
• Neither is “better” – they’re different tools

Limitations of Each Technology

Understanding limitations prevents disappointment.

AirTag limitations:

Cannot track in real-time:

• Shows historical location
• Updates depend on other iPhones
• Not suitable for active tracking
• May be hours behind actual location

Requires Apple ecosystem:

• Must have iPhone to use
• Android users can’t track
• Depends on iPhone density
• Limited in non-Apple regions

Anti-stalking features:

• Makes sound after 8-24 hours
• Notifies tracked person (iPhone)
• Designed to prevent misuse
• Makes covert tracking impossible

No worldwide coverage:

• Only works where iPhones are
• Remote areas have no coverage
• Wilderness tracking impossible
• Ocean, desert useless

GPS tracker limitations:

Requires cellular coverage:

• No cell signal = no updates to you
• GPS works, but can’t report
• May store data for later transmission
• Remote areas can be problematic

Subscription costs:

• Ongoing monthly fees
• $60-360 per year
• Multiple devices get expensive
• Can’t avoid subscription

Battery life:

• Needs frequent recharging
• 1-4 weeks typical
• More updates = shorter battery
• Must remember to charge

Poor indoor performance:

• GPS doesn’t penetrate buildings
• Shows last outdoor location
• Can’t find items inside
• Some use Wi-Fi positioning to compensate

Size and weight:

• Larger than AirTag
• Harder to conceal
• May not fit in wallet
• Not practical for all uses

The Accuracy You Actually Need

More accuracy isn’t always better – consider your needs.

For finding lost items:

• Don’t need real-time
• Last location usually recent (just lost it)
• Final precision matters most
• AirTag’s UWB is perfect
• GPS overkill and impractical

For theft recovery:

• Real-time is essential
• Minutes matter for police response
• Need current location, not hours ago
• GPS is only real option
• AirTag dangerously inadequate

For peace of mind:

• Depends on item
• Keys/wallet: AirTag sufficient
• Vehicle/pet: GPS necessary
• Luggage: AirTag enough
• Equipment: Depends on value/location

For monitoring:

• Continuous visibility needed
• See patterns over time
• Historical data important
• GPS provides this
• AirTag shows disconnected dots

For budget constraints:

• AirTag: One-time $29
• GPS: Ongoing $120+/year
• Multiple items: AirTag economical
• Critical items: GPS worth cost
• Match cost to importance

Hybrid Approach

Some situations benefit from using both.

When to use both:

High-value vehicles:

• AirTag hidden deep (backup)
• GPS tracker primary (real-time)
• If GPS found and removed, AirTag backup
• Different detection methods
• Redundancy increases recovery odds

Elderly care:

• GPS on person (real-time safety)
• AirTag in wallet (backup)
• If GPS battery dies, AirTag helps
• Multiple tracking methods
• Peace of mind for caregivers

Valuable equipment:

• GPS for primary tracking
• AirTag as backup
• Different connectivity methods
• Harder for thief to defeat both
• Insurance may cover cost

International travel:

• AirTag in checked bag
• GPS tracker in valuable carry-on
• Different technologies complement
• Multiple recovery methods
• Better than single solution

Cost of hybrid:

• One-time: $75-130 (both devices)
• Annual: $60-360 (GPS subscription only)
• Worth it for high-value assets
• Redundancy reduces risk

Making the Right Choice

Decision framework for your situation.

Choose AirTag if:

• Finding lost items (keys, wallet, bag)
• Luggage tracking
• Budget under $50
• In Apple ecosystem
• Urban environment
• Don’t need real-time
• Multiple items to track

Choose GPS tracker if:

• Vehicle theft protection
• Pet tracking
• Real-time location critical
• Rural/remote use
• Moving object tracking
• Need geofencing
• Can afford subscription

Choose both if:

• High-value asset protection
• Critical safety application
• Want backup system
• Can afford both
• Need different capabilities

Skip both if:

• Low-value items
• Don’t lose things often
• Can’t afford GPS subscription
• Don’t have iPhone (for AirTag)
• Item never leaves home

Real-World User Experiences

What actually happens when people use these.

AirTag success story:

• Traveler’s bag delayed by airline
• AirTag showed bag still at origin airport
• Airline claimed bag was “in transit”
• User proved otherwise with AirTag
• Got bag rerouted correctly
• Accuracy: Good enough to identify airport

AirTag failure story:

• Car stolen from driveway
• AirTag showed location from 6 hours prior
• Car already stripped in chop shop
• By time AirTag updated, too late
• Police couldn’t act on old data
• Accuracy: Inadequate for vehicle theft

GPS tracker success:

• Boat stolen from marina
• GPS tracker showed real-time location
• Owner tracked it 50 miles away
• Police recovered within 3 hours
• Exact location led to arrest
• Accuracy: Perfect for real-time recovery

GPS tracker limitation:

• Keys with GPS tracker lost in house
• GPS showed “somewhere in vicinity”
• Couldn’t pinpoint inside home
• Took 30 minutes of searching
• Wrong tool for the job
• Accuracy: Poor indoors

Hybrid success:

• Motorcycle stolen
• GPS tracker found and discarded by thief
• AirTag hidden in seat still working
• Updated when thief rode through city
• Recovery thanks to backup AirTag
• Two systems better than one

Future of Tracking Accuracy

Technology is evolving rapidly.

AirTag improvements coming:

• Second generation AirTag rumored
• Better battery life possible
• Louder speaker
• More precise UWB
• Network continues growing
• More iPhones = better coverage

GPS tracker improvements:

• Better battery technology
• More satellites (GPS III, Galileo, BeiDou)
• 5G cellular for faster updates
• Machine learning for better accuracy
• Smaller form factors
• Lower costs

Emerging technologies:

• Ultra-wideband becoming standard
• Sidewalk networks (Amazon Sidewalk)
• LoRaWAN for long-range, low-power
• Satellite-direct (no cellular needed)
• AI-powered location prediction
• Blockchain for privacy

What this means:

• Both technologies will improve
• Gap between them may narrow
• New hybrid solutions likely
• Costs should decrease
• Better options for everyone

I’ve spent six months testing both AirTags and GPS trackers in real-world conditions, and here’s what I learned: they’re not competitors, they’re different tools.

The AirTag in my backpack has saved me countless times when I’ve left it at coffee shops – it pinpoints exactly where I left it and even shows me which chair. But when testing vehicle tracking, the AirTag was frustratingly useless, showing locations hours old while the GPS tracker updated every 10 seconds with precise coordinates.

My advice: use AirTags for things you lose, GPS trackers for things that move.

Don’t expect an AirTag to track a stolen car in real-time, and don’t expect a GPS tracker to help you find your keys in the couch cushions. Match the technology to your actual needs, not what sounds coolest.